Model Medicaid experiment in jeopardy LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas became the first Southern state to expand its Medicaid program in a way that many Republicans found acceptable. The state bought private insurance for low-income people instead of adding them to the rolls of the Medicaid system, which GOP lawmakers considered bloated and inefficient. Now Arkansas could be on the brink of another distinction: becoming the first to abandon its Medicaid expansion after giving coverage ...

Sony cancels 'The Interview' Dec. 25 release NEW YORK (AP) — Under the threat of terrorist attacks from hackers and with the nation's largest multiplex chains pulling the film from its screens, Sony Pictures Entertainment took the unprecedented step of canceling the Dec. 25 release of the "The Interview." The cancellation, announced Wednesday, was a startling blow to the Hollywood studio that has been shaken by hacker leaks and intimidations over the last several weeks by an anonymous gr...

Planning a home remodel that actually pays offThere was a time when contractors building McMansion-style home additions or Michelin-worthy kitchens were a regular sight in many neighborhoods – until around 2006, when the Great Recession began to take hold. Here's the good news: home improvements are starting to add value in a rising housing market. Here's the bad news: you have to be very careful about the renovation or remodeling projects you select to avoid over-stretching your budget. ...

Bass Pro to acquire Ranger Boats SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Bass Pro of Missouri plans to acquire the Arkansas company that manufactures well-known bass boats. Bass Pro Group announced the deal Thursday to acquire Fish Holdings LLS, which manufactures Ranger, Stratos and Triton boats. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Springfield News-Leader reported Fishing Holdings will continue to operate independently at its headquarters in Flippin, Arkansas. The deal must still ...

Farm Bureau re-elects Veach as president HOT SPRINGS (AP) — Arkansas Farm Bureau members have re-elected Randy Veach as president and Rich Hillman as vice president. Members also re-elected five board members and selected two new board members on Friday, the final day of the organization's annual convention in Hot Springs. Veach is a cotton, soybean, rice, wheat, corn and milo farmer near Manila and will begin a seventh term as president of the state Farm Bureau. Hillman is from Carl...

Arkansas to get $60,000 in Sirius XM settlement LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas will receive $60,178 from Sirius XM Radio Inc. in a national settlement to resolve complaints about misleading advertising and billing practices. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel says Arkansas customers who haven't filed a complaint have 150 days to file one to be considered for restitution. Sirius XM agreed to pay a total of $3.8 million to 45 states and the District of Columbia. The restitution to consumers covers...

Bill Clinton touts impact of his library LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton said he always wanted his library and museum to show visitors that elections have consequences and encourage them to get involved, a vision he reflected on Thursday as he touted the 10-year-old center as a model for how people can work together to improve the economy. Speaking at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting, the 42nd president and former Arkansas governor said h...

Judge won't OK Whirlpool lawsuit as class-action FORT SMITH (AP) — A federal judge says he won't certify a complaint against Whirlpool Corp. as a class-action lawsuit because he is not sure whether residents of a polluted Arkansas neighborhood or the company is the driving force behind it. The Southwest Times Record reported Thursday that U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III rejected a joint motion seeking class-action status and approval of a proposed settlement. "It seems the parties have o...

Noranda Aluminum announces layoffs in Newport NEWPORT (AP) — Officials with an aluminum plant in Newport say 38 employees will be laid off. Noranda Aluminum Vice President John Parker said the layoffs will take place by Monday and account for about 40 percent of the plant's workforce. Parker said the company is trying to "match production with demand." He said the rolled aluminum industry faces increased competition from imports. The plant is one of three owned by Tennessee-based Noranda....

Study: Gay marriages could help economy FORT SMITH (AP) — Supporters of same-sex marriage say legalizing the unions could benefit the Arkansas economy by $24 million. A Nerdwallet report based on data from Gallup and the Wedding Report predicts that couples will spend more time planning weddings and also spend more money — and that marriages would continue to occur, the Southwest Times Record reported. "The most interesting thing to me about the report is the longevity aspect of it,...

It's not too late!With Black Friday in full swing, the best sales of the year are attracting shoppers to retailers across the River Valley. Wondering which stores have the best deals? For those who did not pick up a copy of Thursday's edition of The Courier, here's what you missed: • 17 inserts. • 392 total pages of advertisements. • One tab of 72 pages and another with 56. But there's good news. We still have dozens of copies of Thursday's paper on hand at our...

The Courier: Your guide to Black FridayBlack Friday is just two days away! Before you set out to take advantage of some of the biggest sales of the year, make sure you pick up Thursday's edition of The Courier. The Courier's Thanksgiving edition is brimming with advertisements from local retailers, 392 total pages to be exact. With 17 inserts, Thursday's newspaper weighs in at two pounds. That's right, two pounds! Be sure to grab a copy at one of 90 locations the paper is available...

Thanksgiving edition to be stuffed with adsWith Black Friday inching closer, retailers across the River Valley are gearing up for the biggest shopping day of the year. Wondering which store has the best deal on the items at the top of your list? In Thursday's edition of The Courier, nearly 400 total pages of advertisements are featured in 17 inserts, some of which are more than 50 pages! With more than 90 locations available in the area to pick up a paper, you won't have to stand in li...

Heavy rains may hike winter cattle costs HARRISON (AP) — Agriculture officials say heavy rains that have fallen this year may have driven up production costs for Arkansas cattle farmers this winter. The National Agricultural Statistics Service says 52 percent of Arkansas' pastures are in good or excellent condition. Heavy rains throughout the year largely benefited cattle farmers with plentiful hay. But excessive rains in north-central Arkansas diminished the crop's nutrient content ...

Group: Obama order may benefit 14,000 in Arkansas President Barack Obama's executive action aimed at sparing nearly 5 million people in the U.S. from being deported, which one group estimated could affect at least 14,000 immigrants living illegally in Arkansas, drew criticism from state politicians but praise from human rights activists. The president's executive order has been decried by Republicans as a presidential overstep. Some important things to know about it: WHO'S AFFECTED The immigr...

Arkansas trots to No. 2 turkey-producing state KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Arkansas has trotted into second place among turkey-producing states after North Carolina's gobbler population fell sharply as U.S. turkey numbers hit a 28-year low. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reports Minnesota remained king of the roost in 2014 with an estimated 45 million birds, an increase of 1 million over 2013. Arkansas saw its turkey population rise from 28 million to 29 million in the same span,...